LILLY WILLOVER - 2 yo -(2009) Shelby NC

A Lawndale man is accused of intentionally drowning a toddler at a home in Shelby. Shelby police officers arrested and charged Wesley Paul Canipe, 20, with murder and intentional child abuse Thursday night.

According to the Shelby Police Department, officers were called to an apartment
at 1526 Eaves Road in reference to a child that was unresponsive around
9:07 p.m. When officers arrived, they found the 2-year-old
girl unresponsive. Paramedics transported her to Cleveland Regional
Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead. Originally,
police were told the child was in the tub taking a bath and that when
Canipe returned to check on her, the girl was not responsive. However, police say they later found evidence which indicated that Canipe was responsible for the little girl's death. He is being held in the Cleveland County Jail without bond and will appear in court later today. The circumstances surrounding the girl's death remain under investigation. If
you have any information about this case, call Crime Stoppers at
704-481-TIPS (8477) or the Shelby Police Department at 704-484-6845.

Lilly Willover was just two-years-old, but in her short life she'd already touched so many people's hearts.
"She was so sweet and loving and always wanted hugs and kisses," said neighbor Brandy Bullock.
Bullock's two young sons Joshua and Izaiah loved to play outside with the bubbly little girl.
Now, they can't understand why she's gone.


"They know she went to heaven and that she's not coming to play," explained Bullock.
The
toddler was pronounced dead after her mother's boyfriend who was
babysitting the child said he found her unresponsive in the bath tub.
Police say they have evidence that shows 20-year-old Wesley Paul Canipe intentionally killed her.
Meantime, neighbors at the apartment complex where Lilly and her mom lived will hold a vigil in her memory at nine tonight.
"She was amazing … She was always so happy," said Laura Hamrick.
"It was heartless. Heartless is all that is to do that to a kid that can't hardly help themselves," added Chris Gilreath.
"I pray for the mom. That's the only thing you can do."
Donations are being collected for the family. If you would like to contribute you can send your donation to:
Lillyan Ray Willover and family fund:
c/o Marshall Bradley
Wachovia
213 South Washington Street
Shelby, NC 28150

A pink balloon bobbed in
the breeze Saturday in front of the Laurel Hill apartment complex. And
while a nearby sign warning of funeral traffic was not related to this
week's tragedy in the neighborhood, it couldn't help but bring to mind
the events of Thursday night.
Police say 2-year-old Lilly Willover was killed at the hands of her caregiver, Wesley Paul Canipe, while her mother was at work.
The apartment where Amanda Willover, Lilly's mother, lived with her
daughter is silent. A stuffed animal sits near the door, a note under
its paw, and unlit candles sit on the windowsill.
Neighborhood children rode bikes and called out to each other
between the buildings where Lilly lived for the past year of her short
life.
Laura Hamrick, who performed CPR on Lilly that night and called 911, said Amanda is staying with family.
“Given the situation she’s doing OK,” Hamrick said. “She’s with family and they’re taking great care of her.”
Lilly’s young friends are still having a hard time understanding the situation.
Hamrick said Catie, her 10-year-old daughter, and Lilly played together all the time.
“My daughter Catie called Lilly her little sister,” she said. “She
keeps waiting for Lilly to come knock on the door for her to come play
with her.”
Authorities were dispatched shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday to 1526
Eaves Road, Apt. K-1, in reference to an unresponsive child. Lilly was
pronounced dead at Cleveland Regional Medical Center later that night.
Police say Canipe, 20, of 110 Knob Creek Drive, Lawndale, was
watching the 2-year-old while her mother was at work. Canipe told
authorities he found the child unresponsive in the bath tub.
He is charged with intentional child abuse and murder and is being held without bond.
Hamrick called the situation is “an absolute tragedy.”
“She [the mother] was at work when this happened,” Hamrick said.
“That was the only time she was not with her. They were quite a team.”
Hamrick said she never suspected something like this would happen.
“On the outside he [Canipe] appeared to be good with her,” she said.
“I really hope the justice system is swift and heavy handed.”
Police say the case remains under investigation.
“Still have a lot of investigating to do about the circumstances
surrounding the case,” Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford said Friday.
“Investigations, especially those involving a child, come with inherent
hurdles. …Anytime a child is harmed, it brings a lot out.”

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Stamey
Funeral Home. The funeral will be held Monday at 2 p.m. at Stamey
Funeral Home Chapel in Fallston.

Nearly a week has passed since a 2-year-old girl was killed and her
caregiver charged with murder. But the circumstances surrounding the
death of Lilly Willover have yet to be released by police.
“Until we can talk to the district attorney and make sure we’re not
damaging the case, we’re going to hold that close to our chest,” Shelby
Police Chief Jeff Ledford said Tuesday. “It’s not that we don’t know.”
Lilly drowned in a bath tub Friday while her mother was at work.
Police arrested 20-year-old Wesley Paul Canipe, of 110 Knob Creek
Drive, Lawndale, and charged him with intentional child abuse and
murder.
The day after her death, a candlelight vigil was held at Laurel Hill
Apartments, where Lilly lived with her mother Amanda. Dozens of people,
young and old, lined the parking lot to pay their respects to a life
lost before it could truly begin.
Because of her flowing blonde hair, Lilly was known as “Goldilocks” at Twinkling Little Stars Child Development Center.
“She was just one of those children who would melt your heart,”
owner Valerie Camp previously told The Star. “To know her was to love
her.”
Ledford said the investigation into Lilly’s death is ongoing.
“We’re still working with witnesses and continuing to build the case,” he said Tuesday.
Ledford says police deal with an extra burden anytime they investigate a child death.
“In a death like this you also have the challenge of making sure
your staff is OK,” he said. “It’s extremely difficult. I firmly believe
in my heart that we have the most professional law enforcement agency
in the state but everybody has a tipping point. Officers are expected
to bottle it up to do the job. But at some point it’s going to have to
come out.
It’s cruel to expect these officers to keep it inside of them and
never give them an outlet. We just have to find out which way helps
them most.”

WARNING DETAILED AUTOPSY RESULTS

Autopsy on killed toddler released
By Emily Killian The Shelby Star, N.C.
Publication: The Star (Shelby, North Carolina)
Date: Wednesday, April 14 2010
http://www.allbusiness.com/crime-law-enforcement-corrections/criminal-offenses-crimes/14287011-1.html
Apr. 14--The Star has obtained a copy of the autopsy on Lillyan "Lilly" Rae Willover, a toddler who died in August 2009.

Police arrested and charged Wesley Paul Canipe, 20, with child abuse and murder. He was released from jail earlier this month after posting bail. According to police, at the time of Lilly's death, Canipe was the child's mother's boyfriend. He was watching her while her mother was at work.

Here is the autopsy report from the Mecklemburg County Medical Examiner:

Name Lillyan Rae Willover
Age 2 yrs
Race White
Sex F
AUTHORIZATION
Authorized By W. Dwight Tessneer Received From Cleveland
ENVIRONMENT
Date of Exam 08/14/2009 Time of Exam 09:30
Autopsy Facility Mecklenburg County M E Office Persons Present Linnelle Banks
CERTIFICATION
Cause of Death
Asphyxia due to Drowning

The facts stated herein are correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Digitally signed by
Christopher J. Gulledge MD 31 March 2010 16:20

DIAGNOSES

* Abrasions; abdomen and back
* Contusion, right side of head and back
* Subgaleal and periosteal hemorrhage, left parietal and left temporal region
* Mesenteric hemorrhage, mid small intestine
* Intercostal hemorrhage, left posterior spaces 7 and 8
* Healing abrasions; face and chest
* Healing contusions; face and buttocks
* Pulmonary congestion, moderate



IDENTIFICATION
Body Identified By
Papers/ID Tag

EXTERNAL DESCRIPTION
Length 34 inches
Weight 35 pounds
Body Condition Intact
Rigor 1+
Livor Posterior and fixed
Hair Blonde
Eyes Brown
Teeth Natural
Received is the body of a white female appearing approximately the stated age. The body is unclothed. Personal effects accompanying the body include yellow metal earrings with green stones. Evidence of medical intervention includes nasogastric tube, endotracheal tube, automated external defibrillator pads, EKG pads, and an intraosseous line in the left tibia and a bandaged puncture wound in the left antecubital fossa. There are no identifying characteristics.

INJURIES
Numerous fresh and healing injuries are present the most significant of which are described here.
Present on the head there is a ¼" in diameter healing abrasion on the anterior right forehead. There is a blue-green
healing contusion measuring ¼" present on the bridge of the nose. There is a blue-green healing contusion present
over the lateral canthus of the left eye measuring 1½" x ½". On the right side of the head there is a 3/8" in length linear contusion. The contusion is purple red and appears to be fresh. Over the contusion there is a small patch of what appears to be considerably shorter hair than the remainder of the decedent's hair.
Upon reflection of the scalp there is periosteal and subgaleal hemorrhage present on the left parietal and left temporal region.
On the torso, there is a ¾" in length healing abrasion present on the anterior mid portion of the chest and a ¼" in
length fresh abrasion present diagonally over the umbilicus. On the back there is a ½" contusion present in the mid
back. There are two abrasions measuring ½" and 3/8" present on the back which appears to be postmortem. There are two purple healing contusions present on the decedent's buttocks.
Within the body there is hemorrhage present within the mesentery of the mid portion of the small intestines. There is additional hemorrhage present in left posterior intercostal space 7 and 8 near the spine.
No significant blunt force injuries are noted to the extremities.
A sexual assault evidence collection kit is performed. There are two small questionable punctate hemorrhages present on the vagina as noted on the diagram. The hymenal ring appears to be intact.
There does not appear to be parietal bone hemorrhage. No fluid is able to be aspirated from the ethmoid sinuses.
DISPOSITION OF CLOTHING AND PERSONAL EFFECTS
The following items are released with the body
Yellow metal earrings with green stones.
The following items are preserved as evidence
Blood card and sexual assault evidence kit.
PROCEDURES
Radiographs
Radiographs of the head, chest, abdomen and pelvis are performed and show no evidence of bony injuries.
Special Evidence Collection
A sexual assault evidence collection kit is performed.
INTERNAL EXAMINATION
Body Cavities
Unremarkable
Cardiovascular System
Heart Weight 66.7 grams
The coronary arteries have a normal takeoff and distribution. The chambers are not dilated and the myocardial walls are not thickened. The valves are unremarkable. On section the myocardium is firm, red-brown and without evidence of fibrosis or scarring. The aorta and its major branches are patent.
Respiratory System
Right Lung Weight 120.5 grams
Left Lung Weight 98.8 grams
There is no evidence of pulmonary embolus. On sectioning the lungs are without gross evidence of consolidation or tumor. The lungs are moderately congested. The larynx, trachea and major bronchi contain refluxed food particles.
Gastrointestinal System
The tongue is unremarkable on section. The esophagus is empty and the mucosa is unremarkable. The stomach
contains 30 grams of well digested food particles with an identifiable white plastic fork tine and the gastric mucosa is unremarkable. Examination of the intestines along their length reveals no unusual lesions. The appendix is present.
Liver
Liver Weight 610 grams
The capsule is intact and sectioning reveals a homogenous red-brown parenchyma without focal abnormalities. The gallbladder is present.
Spleen
Spleen Weight 112.9 grams
Unremarkable
Pancreas
Unremarkable
Urinary
Right Kidney Weight 55.8 grams
Left Kidney Weight 53.7 grams
The kidneys are similar in appearance with normal renal architecture on section. The bladder contains no urine and the mucosa is unremarkable.
Reproductive
Normal female anatomy with intact uterus and ovaries.
Endocrine
The adrenal glands weigh 5.5 grams. The thyroid gland and adrenal glands are unremarkable on sectioning.
Neurologic
Brain Weight 920 grams
The brain has a normal gyral pattern with thin delicate leptomeninges. The vessels at the base of the brain are
unremarkable. The brain is fixed for further neuropathologic examination.
The brain is examined after fixation. Serially sectioning the brain reveals no evidence of contusions, hemorrhage or
tumor. No significant abnormalities are noted.
Skin
Injuries are present as previously described.
Immunologic System
Thymus Weight 28.4 grams
Unremarkable
Musculoskeletal System
Layered neck dissection is performed and shows no evidence of neck injuries.
MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION
Cardiovascular
Sections of the heart show slight hypereosinophilia with early acute inflammation.
Respiratory
Sections of the lungs show pulmonary vascular congestion.
Liver
Section of the liver shows scattered acute inflammation within the sinusoids of the liver.
Hematologic
Section of the spleen shows no pathologic abnormality.
Genitourinary
Section of the kidney shows no pathologic abnormality.
Endocrine
Section of the adrenal glands shows no pathologic abnormality.
Neurologic
Sections of the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem and meninges show no pathologic abnormalities.
Immunologic
Section of the thymus shows no pathologic abnormality.



SUMMARY AND INTERPRETATION
Lillian Rae Willover was a 2 year old white female with no significant medical history who had reportedly drowned.
Initial reports alleged that the decedent had drowned while the caretaker was away from the tub. Later reports
indicated that the drowning occurred as a deliberate act by an adult caretaker. According to the police, the decedent was wet at the time of EMS response and there was water around the bathtub consistent with the decedent being removed.
Autopsy findings include numerous fresh injuries including a linear contusion on the right side of the head, a contusion on the mid back and an abrasion on the abdomen. Reflection of the scalp reveals periosteal and subgaleal hemorrhage present on the left parietal and left temporal regions of the skull. Within the thorax and abdomen there is hemorrhage within the left posterior intercostal spaces of 7 and 8 near the spine and hemorrhage in the mesentery of the mid portion of the small intestine. There are also two abrasions on the back which appear to be post mortem. Numerous healing injuries are also present including healing contusions over the buttocks, healing abrasions and contusions on the face and a healing abrasion on the chest. A sexual assault evidence kit is collected and genital examination shows two questionable punctate hemorrhages around the edge of the vagina within an intact hymenal ring. Moderate pulmonary congestion is present. Microscopic evidence of early ischemia is noted within the liver and heart. Common features associated with drowning including parietal bone hemorrhage or fluid aspiratable from the ethmoid sinuses are not present. These findings are non-specific however and are not required to diagnose a drowning death.
Toxicological analysis reveals an aortic blood diphenhydramine level of less than 0.25 mg/L. Atropine is present. No evidence of ethanol or other organic bases are found.
Based on the history, autopsy and toxicological analysis it is my opinion the cause of death in this case is asphyxia due to drowning. There are no discordant features in this case to exclude drowning as the cause of death.
http://www.shelbystar.com/articles/shelby-41459-chip-stores.html

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/police-41018-caregiver-shelby.html

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/police-41111-approval-released.html

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/child-41043-wall-memorial.html

Check back here later today for further information.

Canipe, in jail since his August arrest, was released on April first after posting a 100 thousand dollar secured bond. The trial date has not yet been announced but if convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

http://cable33.com/news/index.php/home/view/4068

Man Charged with Toddler's Murder Posts Bail

Almost 8 months after the death of 2 year old Lillyan Rae Willover the man charged in her murder posted bail. Wesley Paul Canipe, 20, posted bond on April 1.

Originally held at the Cleveland County Detention Center with out bond, Canipe's bond was set at $100,000 after his first appearance in court on Aug. 14, 2009.

Canipe is charged with Intentional Child Abuse and Murder.

It was Thursday August 13, 2009 that Shelby Police responded to a call regarding an unresponsive child at 1526 Eaves Road.

Canipe, the boyfriend of the toddlers mother, Amanda Willover, was watching the child while her mother was at work.

Police investigation concluded he was responsible for the two-year-olds death by drowning.
http://cable33.com/news/index.php/home/view/4070?

Numerous healing injuries are also present including healing contusions over the buttocks, healing abrasions and contusions on the face and a healing abrasion on the chest.
Why was this poor child's mother not charged at least with neglect and more appropriately for failing to protect her child? She must have seen the earlier signs of abuse.

I can't understand how he could have been released on bond - and the mother should be charged with neglect IMO.

Accused child killer back in jail
Man charged in 2009 killing arrested on B&E charge
Monday, Dec 13 2010
SHELBY — A man charged in the 2009 drowning of 2-year-old Lilly Willover is back in jail on unrelated charges, according to an arrest warrant.

Cleveland County deputies recently arrested Wesley Paul Canipe, 21, of Lawndale, on breaking and entering charges from an alleged incident that happened Nov. 17, according to his arrest warrant.

Canipe allegedly stole “various jewelry items” valued at $2,100 from a home located on Leonard Drive in Lawndale, according to the warrant.

He is charged with breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering and possession of stolen goods, the warrants state.. He was taken into custody Dec. 8.

Canipe was released from the Cleveland County jail in April on a $100,000 bond in the little girl’s death.

read more>
http://www.shelbystar.com/articles/killer-52180-shelby-accused.html

SHELBY — Lilly Willover was 2-years-old when police say she was drowned in the bathtub in August 2009.

The man charged in connection with her death is scheduled to appear
in court Thursday on charges of first-degree murder and intentional
child abuse inflicting serious physical injury.


Wesley Paul Canipe, 23, is being held in the Cleveland County Detention Center on a $110,000 bond.

Canipe, who appeared in court two weeks ago, requested more time to consider a plea offer by the state.

His attorney, David Teddy, said Monday he is not ready for the case to be heard in court.

Canipe has until the end of the court term, which is Friday, to
decide whether to take a plea offer by the state or plead not guilty and
go to trial.

“I’m still talking to him,” Teddy said Wednesday. “I’m going to spend a good part of the day with him today.”

Teddy said the state has offered Canipe a plea agreement if he pleads guilty to second-degree murder.
http://www.shelbystar.com/news/defendant-62226-shelby-expected.html

Sentence Number: BA-001 Commitment Type: INMATE
Conviction Date: 09/16/2013 County Of Conviction: CLEVELAND
Service Status: ACTIVE Sentence Begin Date: 09/16/2013
Sentence Status: CORRECT Actual Release Date:
Punishment Type: ACTIVE SS Projected Release Date: 10/03/2024
Sentence Type 1: DEPT OF CORR DIV OF PRISONS
Minimum Term: 13 YEARS Maximum Term: 16 YEARS 5 MONTHS

Commitment
Docket#
Offense (Qualifier)
Offense Date
Type
Sentencing
Penalty
Class Code

INITIAL 09054757 MURDER SECOND DEGREE (PRINCIPAL) 08/13/2009 FELON CLASS B2 SS

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1387699&searchLastName=canipe&searchFirstName=w&searchMiddleName=p&searchGender=M&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1